The Sleepwalker

Part Three: 3

Agent Hazard


"They don't understand!" Hazard seethed as she stormed down the hall. She didn't react to the odd looks she was receiving from other Agents. "No one does! No one cares about me!"

She made her way to the armory, where she threw on her armor and found Agent Bulk, the guard who was supposed to watch over her as she examined divergences. He was already suited up and ready to go, his young face visible under the tough glass faceguard.

"Come on! We don't have all day."

He gulped and followed her to the elevator that would be taking them down the large hole that was the Dark Chamber. The glass eventually got cold and the lights dimmed, replaced by a dim green.

Soon they landed and Hazard practically pulled Bulk across the gray landing pad to the entrance corridor. Two guards flanked the door and let them in once Bulk flashed the screen of his Nebulium arm. The hallway was cold and dark, and glowing green lines surrounded them on the ground, walls, and ceiling. Hazard loved the dark, it was better than being exposed in the light. Why the Society decided to make it dark down here, she hadn't a clue, but she wasn't about to complain about it either.

"We're early, aren't we?" Bulk said, frowning. "Why are we running as if we're late?"

Hazard ignored him and continued down the gradually sloping hallway until they reached the huge door that separates the Chamber from the rest of the station. She spun and looked at Bulk.

"Sooner we get started, sooner we can leave, so open the door."

Bulk raised an eyebrow. "I feel like I'm missing something here..."

"You aren't! So open the bloody –"

"Alright, fine! Just chill out a bit please!"

Once Hazard's fists were unclenched, Bulk placed his arm inside a hole in the wall that matched the arm perfectly. It scanned his biosignal and biosignature, and for good measure, the cameras were initiated so the many security guards could see what was happening and record it.

A grating noise sounded, and the first door was cleared to open like a jaw. The next one was like a spiral, the third like a circle, rolled away. About four other doors opened before the final one stood before them. It required Warden Cogsworth to open it up in the security room.

"State your business," A voice said over the loudspeakers.

"Here to document the Polybius machine, sir."

"State your name as well,"

"Agent Hazard and Security Agent Bulk, sir."

A few seconds of silence passed, then the door broke into two pieces and slid opposite ways.

"You're free to enter."

The sound of boots in the hallway behind the two Agents told them someone was approaching. Bulk pointed his four fingers forward and tucked his thumb into his palm. The Nebulium arm understood the gesture and the four tips of his fingers began to emit a soft glow. It was a shotgun, used for the barbaric. Hazard just made an 'Indexer', which was a simplistic finger pistol.

The noise of footsteps grew louder. Hazard considered closing the door but didn't want to wait for it to open again.

But once the figure came into view, Hazard and Bulk lowered their weapons. It was just Agent Infinity, who had her hands up.

"It's just me!" She shouted, loud enough for the mic at the door to hear. "Infinity! Agent! Agent –"

"Alright alright, we get it." The speakers said quickly.

A slight whirr sounded, which was the secret turrets powering down.

"Can't be too sure, after the Only Incident. Place your hand on the scanner, Agent."

Hazard scowled at Infinity as she turned away. Infinity's shift didn't start for another hour or so, Hazard believed she was here early to spy on her fellow roommate.

"Come on Bulk, better get started." Hazard clasped the security Agent firmly on the arm and pulled him through the door and into the Dark Chamber.

The chamber itself was a rectangular platform that led to a big circle one. The room it was in was so dark, that you couldn't see the ceiling or the walls. The only light source was the viscous glowing green liquid from below that smelt like cherries, for some reason. Multiple platforms led off to the cells, and Hazard took the nearest on the left.

From the circle in the middle, you could barely see the semi-dark cells themselves, but if one looked close enough they could see an orange light. Hazard had never been over there, yet she could smell the odd mixture of pumpkin that wafted around, somehow overpowering the smell of cherries. Hazard didn't even know the codename for the divergence. But to you, the reader, its name should be quite clear.

"Woah! I can walk on my own, Hazard." Bulk pulled away as they reached the cell. Hazard rolled her eyes.

"Just open the door already." She huffed, getting angry at the lack of his sense of urgency.

Bulk scowled at her attitude and placed a hand on the scanner. The blast shield covering the door slid away, revealing a see-through door that opened next. Hazard entered the room before it even finished opening.

The walkway here was thinner than the one leading into the chamber but still big enough for three humans to go across nicely, yet Bulk hung back, weapon at the ready.

"Turn on the spotlight," Hazard said loudly. Bulk did as he was told and the room exploded in light and revealed the dangerous divergence... an Arcade cabinet. It was black with blue stripes, the words 'POLYBIUS' across the top. It stood there, inanimate.

Hazard cleared her throat. "It won't open up to me if you're watching!" She shouted to the many cameras. She waited until the red light on them died before falling to her knees before the arcade machine.

"Master!" She suddenly sobbed. "I exist to serve!"

The screen of Polybius lit up and displayed a message: 'Player one has joined'.

Hazard heard Bulk crumple to the floor behind her as the Polybius machine put him into a controlled sleep. He'll wake when Polybius wants him to.

"Hello, Jessica." Polybius rumbled. "Have you learned anything useful in my escape?"

Hazard sobbed louder as she shook her head no. An arcing pain shot through her skull as Polybius tortured her.
"Useless. That's exactly what you are. The only reason you're still alive is that I don't have a willing replacement."

The Agent sobbed forcefully now, curled in a fetal position on the cold metal of the walkway.

"You do not realize the power I can give you."

When Hazard opened her eyes, she was not surprised to find herself floating above an extremely calm sea, nothing around for miles. Her metal arm was raised not of her own accord, and she watched as it slowly came apart, piece by piece until a blue crystal was revealed.

"This has the power of a small nebula. Typical of humans to turn it into a weapon. When I escape, I will break it out of this metal shell they have put it in. The power to level an entire city would be yours to command"

"B-b-but I don't want to level a city..."

"I see it in your head. You hated a certain town you grew up in. I am aware that you were mistreated, and hurt by certain people. Let me free, and I'll let you be free."

She nodded slowly, tears still raining down to the invisible ground above the sea.. "There is a thing that happened... We call it the Only Incident. It happened around ten years ago, a divergence broke out of its cell and killed hundreds of Agents. It was eventually caught, but it was the only divergence to ever get out of its cell."

"Where is it?"

"Right here master, somewhere in the Dark Chamber. They call it... the Sleepwalker."

"Ah, I've felt it before. He has a desire to sleep, but it never comes. I want you to research all you can about this beast, and figure out how it escaped and how we can get him and me in a room together.

"Yes master, I won't let you down this time."

"Good, because it's your last time."

Reality snapped back into place, the saltwater smell replaced by cherries. Hazard stood and stared at Polybius's screen for a while, face pale. It said Player One was on their last life.

"Master, what shall I tell the Society about you today?"

"Tell them my screen said 'Player Two ran out of lives'. It'll drive them crazy."

The screen of the Polybius machine went dark as Hazard gulped and spun around. Bulk was already up, holding his head. Polybius would've given him new fake memories, so Hazard was far from worried.
Until she opened the cell doors.

Ten Agents stood, five on their knees and five standing behind them. Hazard was looking down ten barrels of ten Indexer pistols, the tip of each glowing blue. She thought it looked like they were a bunch of boys posing for some indie rock album, oddly enough.

"Put your hands in the air," said the Warden, who stepped from behind the line of Agents wearing the same red coat and stovepipe hat that he seemed to never take off. He pointed his own weapon of choice, a golden crossbow made of two fingers, straight at Hazard. "We had a friend of yours bug you early this morning. We heard it all."

Hazard did not put her hands in the air. "Who was it? Quantum? Infinity, maybe?"

Warden adjusted his monocle indifferently. "I told you to raise your hands, didn't I? Oh yes I did. Put them in the air."

The other Agents shifted uncomfortably. Hazard had raised her hand alright, in the shape of a pistol.
"Agent, put down your hand!" Warden shouted.

Hazard smiled but didn't have any joy behind it. "Funny how much your tone changed in just a few seconds..."
A few tense seconds passed by before Hazard's hand fell limply down to her side. Warden waved the other Agents forward. "Get her in cuffs. And get the other guard to the medbay, he looks about ready to topple into the Green."

Hazard stared blankly at the ground as they placed her metal arm into what could only be described as a large cylinder and chained both of them together. The Warden came over to her and gently pushed her chin upward.

"I don't know what that divergence put in your head, but whatever it did, we'll reverse it. I promise." He waved to the others. "Get her outta here."

They began to drag Hazard out of the Dark Chamber, but not before she got a good look at the furthest cell, illuminated by a orange light, where a man hung from chains, a huge orb on his head. He seemed to look up at her, even though his eyes were not visible. But he soon let his head go slack and shook his head in what she thought to be disappointment.